Car-coupling



'2 sheets-sheet; 1.

S T, R 0 Dl.. E E K A GAR GOUPLING.

Patented Jan. 10, 1888.

L an (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. KEBPORTS.

GAR COUPLINGr.`

Nvo. 376,309.

'Patented'Jam 10, 1888.

with the couplingcross-brace, d', similar to that above.

5o two lever-arms, e e.

UNITED STATES PATENT EErcEO AARON KEEPoRrs, oir-LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 376,309, datei January 10, 1888.

Application filed May 3, 1E87. Serial No. 236,909. (No model.)

ro and combination ofthe various parts, as hereinafter fully-described and claimed, and asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, in which- Figure lis a plan or top view of one of my i5 couplers with portions ofthe casing of the draw-head cut away; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same, also with portions of the casing cut away; Fig. 3, a longitudinal vertical section through the coupler; Fig. 4, a horizontal 2o section through thelinexx; Fig. 5, afrontview of the coupler, and Fig. 6 a section of the bumper-face. Y

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The main portion of the mechanism constituting my coupler is located inside of the cas ing A ot' the draw-head. This mechanism is divided into two distinct parts, that whereby the couplinglink B is automatically engaged pin C and that by which the link is made lo accommodate itself to the variations in the heightof the cars which it is to connect. The coupling-pin is inserted in openings in the draw-head, as is ordinarily 35 done; but in inserting it, it passes through a cross-piece, d, connecting two vertical pieces or plates, D, passing through the draw-head` casing inside ofand adjoining the sides thereof. These plates D are strengthened below by a The plates D have vertical slots d cut therein, which are engaged with friction-rollers d3, pivoted in the back of the bull-nose N, -inside of the plates. Back ofthe bull-noseA thereis a cross bar, F, resting upon the lower plate of the casing, .to the ends of which are attached two side bars, E. These side bars extend toward the vertical plates D, near which each is connected with The other ends of the lever-arms e are p'ivoted to the verticalbars D above the slots d, those of the arms e to the spindle ofthe rollers da. These lever-arms are so connected with the side bars,E, the vertical bars D, and the spindles of the rollers d3 that when the cross-bar F is moved forward, as will be hereinafter explained, the vertical bars D will be raised, so as to lift the coupling-pin from its socket c in the bottom of the draw- `head high enough to permit the passage of any coupling link B to be engaged with it.

The bull-nose-has vertical slots a cut therein opposite to the lines of movement of the side bars, E,whic'h'permit the passage of the outer ends, e2, of those arms through the bull-nose. Vhen the side bars, E, are moved forward, so as to raise the coupling-pin, these ends e2 project beyond the face of the bull-nose, and when a car moving toward it with link in place for coupling with the car with which it is connected strikes the ends of the bars E with its bullnose it forces them back, so that the levers e c are thrown back of the center and permit the fall and connection of the couplingpin with the coupling-link.

The outer ends ofthe side bars are provided with upright cross-pieces e2, extending above and below the ends of the side bars, and when the said side bars are thrust back into the drawhcad they completely cover the slots n, to prevent the iilling of the same with dirt or the entrance of projections from an opposite car. The cross-pieces e, when in the latter position just described. rest in a recess surrounding the slot a, so that their outer faces are flush with the face of the bull-nose, thereby preventing their being crushed in any manner or any liability of causing buckling of the side bars, E. Another very important function performed by these cross-pieces is that they become engaged with the bull-noses of greater or less height than the projecting ends of the side bars, compensating for the differences in the height of the cars to be coupled.

The side bars, E, are moved forward, so as to project their ends beyond the face of the bull-nose, by means of a lever, G, having its fulcrum g in a slot, a, in the bottom plate of the casing. The inner end, g', of this lever is enlarged and rounded,so as to form a bearing for the chain g`,'connecting the cross-piece F and the lever. Lateral motion of the crosspiece F and side bars, E, is prevented by means of a pin, f, projecting downward through a slot, a', in the bottom plate of the casing.

It will bc observed that whether the side arms, E, are moved back or forward the ends Ion of the lever-arms e e' connecting with them are thrown somewhat beyond their center, so that a slight force applied when they are in one position readily changes them to the other.

The lower end, g, of the lever G projects downward below the casing, and by it the bars Eare moved forward to place said bars in the position for coupling automatically.

The inner face of the bull-nose back of the coupling-pin is concave in form and receives a link-bearing shell, M, of such convex form of the front face as to fit in the back of the bull-nose.

rIhe shell M has an opening in front to correspond with that iu the bull-nose, though somewhat larger, and is entirely open behind. It is rig-idly secured above and below to the ends ot the rods 'l and It, respectively, passing through openings in the easing of the drawhead. rlhe rod T extends some distance above the draw-head and terminates in a handle, t, and has a spiral spring, L, coiled about it, one end secured against a circular lug, t2, on the rod T and the other against the top plate of the casing. The rod Itcxtends below the bottom plate ofthe casing, and is also surrounded by a spiral spring, r, one end bearing against the plate and the other against the annular iange r. The upper and lower plates ofthe shell M are ot' much less thickness than the corresponding parts of the bull-nose, allowing considerable play. The outer corners of the coupling-links to be used with this bearingshell are squared, as shown at b.

The end ot' the cou] ling-linl after passing and being engaged by the coupling-pin, rests in the bearing-shell M, and any turning of'the handle t turns said shell and causes the outer end of the link to move to one side or the other to meet the bull-nose of aear with which it is to connect, and which may be somewhat out of the direct horizontal line for engaging. Force exerted upon the said handle t to raise or depress it also raises or lowers the end of the link to enable it to engage a bull-nose of' different height from that in which it rests.

Back of the shell M there are stops Q, to prevent the coupling-link being accidentally thrust too far back to engage with an adjoining car when coupling.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the draw-head and coupling-pin, of the side bars, E, passing.y through the bull-nose and connected with the vertical bars D by levers c c', the crosspiece d, for engaging the head of the coupling-pin, and the lever G, chain g2, and cross-piece F, connecting the inner ends of the side bars, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a ear-coupler, the combination, with the draw-head and coupling-pin, of side bars connected with a lever, whereby they may be projected beyond the face of the bull-nose through slots in the face thereof, and arms connecting said bars, and a frame for raising the coupling-pin, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, in :tear-coupler,I with the draw-head and coupling-pin, of longi tudinally-movable side bars, the bull-nose having slots therein through which said bars pass, and arms connecting said bars, and the frame for holding the coupling'pin up when the drawhead is to receive a link, all constructed and operati ng substantially as specified.

4. rlhe combination, in a car-coupler, with the draw-head, of longitudinallymovable side bars .passing through slots in the bull-nose, upright cross-pieces attached to the outer ends thereof', and mechanism for moving said bars forward through the slots, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination, in a car-coupler, with the draw-head, of longitudinallymovable side bars passing through slots in the bull-nose, upright cross-pieces attached tothe outer ends thereof, recesses about said slots in the outer face of the bullnose, and mechanism for moving said bars forward through the slots, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination, in a car-coupler, with the bull-nose having a concave inner face, of a linlcbearing movable shell with a convex front adapted to fit in the concave face of' said bull-nose, rods rigidly attached to the top and bottom of said shell and projecting through openings in the upper and lower plates of the casing, and springs coiled about said rods, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. rlhe combination, in a car-coupler, with the bultnose having a concave inner face, of a link-bearing movable shell with a convex front adapted to fit in the concave face of said bull-nose, and a rod rigidly attached to the top of said shell and projecting through the upper plate of' the casing, whereby the said shell may be oscillated horizontally in the bull-nose, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. The combination, in a car-coupler, with the bull-nose, of a link-bearing movable shell located back of said bull-nose and suspended between the upper and lower plates of the casing by a rod attached to the top of' said shell, the rod passing through the upper plate of the easing, and a spring attached tothe rod and casing, whereby the elevation ofthe front of said shell may be varied, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. The combination, in a car-coupler, with the draw-head, of a linl bearing shell located back of the bull-nose and having an opening extending through it from front to rear, and stops secured to the bottom plate of the casing back of said shell, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

, AARON KEEPORTS.

Vitnesses:

J. K. BARR, WM. R. GERHART.

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